Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Moreland Council has commenced a project looking at the feasibility of establishing a community food hub in the north of Moreland. This is an action in the Food System Strategy 2017 – 2020, which responds to the issue of food security, particularly in our northern suburbs which have the least food secure communities in Moreland.

Last year we mapped over 33 community groups and organisations involved in food activities in north Moreland. We will draw from this strong base of community resources and skills, as well as from the amazing work taking place across Moreland and beyond to deliver community-led outcomes for this project.

We have engaged a team with excellent community engagement and food systems skills and knowledge to work with key stakeholders and the broader community to explore how a community food hub could support and increase the impact and viability of food security efforts in Moreland’s north.

The team consists of local resident Jen Rae from Fair Share Fare, who will lead the consultation process which will take place February – March 2020. Jen will work closely with Jen Sheridan from Open Food Network, who will lead the research, concept development and feasibility assessment with support from the Open Food Network team.

There are 5 x 2 hour day and evening codesign workshops taking place, facilitated by Jen Rae, Jen Sheridan and Kirsten Larsen (Open Food Network Australia). Anyone interested in learning about community food hubs is invited to attend this interactive workshop where you can contribute ideas with others to help shape a vision and inform a concept design for a local food hub in the north.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

About 25 people attended the Local Food Forum and Networking event on Thursday 14 November at the Coburg Courthouse. It was great to see many new faces as well as those who attended the last event in April, leading to new connections and updates on exciting ongoing initiatives.

The delicious vegan catering was supplied by Alex Dathe of Boom Foods, who sourced many of the seasonal ingredients (such as beetroot, garlic, celery, lettuce and silverbeet) from Fawkner Food Bowls market garden. It doesn't get any more local than that!

All attendees had the opportunity to introduce themselves and share inspiring examples of their activities, project or interest in local food. Two community groups expanded on their history, purpose and programs (links to presentations provided below):

1. Mahira Sobral shared the story of the Ecological Justice Hub, a practical environmental program delivered by Jesuit Social Services, based around a permaculture garden in Brunswick. The Hub is dedicated to both social and environmental justice, with the overall aim of restoring peoples' connections to nature as well as each other. Programs cover everything from how to reduce food waste and close the loop by turning food waste into a resource (even acquiring a bioreactor which produces biogas and electricity from organic waste!) to education on the power of mushrooms to restore and generate healthy ecosystems.

To find out more about the education, courses and volunteering opportunities at the Hub, email ecojusticehub@jss.org.au

2. Taryn D'Costa, Nerida Thompson and Hilary Hogget related how the Neighbours United for Climate Action (NUCA) was formed by a group of Moreland residents who saw the benefit in acting collectively to help people feel more empowered to respond to the climate emergency. Neighbours have formed teams to progress a whole host of initiatives, including a Community Climate Action education series relating to local food growing, food waste reduction, PURE (Plastic Use Reduction & Elimination), Art Against Ecocide, community and regenerative living.

Participate in Community Climate Actions events at Newlands
Neighbourhood House – The next series will commence in February 2020 – look out for more details
in the new year here: www.facebook.com/communityclimateaction

There was also an update on Moreland Council's new Food Organics Recycling Service and the MWRRG's relaunched 'Back to Earth' program, which educates residents on how to use the service correctly and shows how organic waste is being turned into a valuable resource. The program includes compost donations to eligible organisations and the Victorian Garden Competition which opens in February 2020

Welcome to our website.

The Moreland Food Gardens Network provides an opportunity for people in Moreland to come together on a regular basis to share information and collaborate in a variety of ways to improve food access and urban agriculture in the area.